Letters: Incredulous about the Catholic Church

Many religions promulgate beliefs that strain credulity. The Roman Catholic Church, however, has recently raised the bar to unbelievable heights.

Accept that a merciful God would bar use of contraceptives by families whose natural fecundity condemns them to lives of crushing poverty. Deny that priests constrained by a vow of celibacy might be inclined to sexual misconduct. Deny that the church's hierarchy might not act swiftly and resolutely to protect future victims of pedophile priests.

And then allow pedophilie priest enablers like Cardinal Roger M. Mahony to choose papal candidates. Whoever becomes pope has his work cut out for him.